Developing microbial systems capable of converting low cost lipids into value added
products depends on the ability to acquire substrates from the growth media. Saccharomyces
cerevisiae can acquire free fatty acids from the growth media and a portion of these lipids can be
converted into new lipid products. However, they cannot acquire complex lipids from the
growth media unless a nonspecific lipase is included. To circumvent lipase addition, we are
genetically engineering S. cerevisiae to secrete a lipase into the growth media. We selected the
LIP2 gene from Yarrowia lipolytica, which encodes a nonspecific lipase. Several modifications
were made to the LIP2 gene to improve processing. Results identified strains secreting the most
lipase. From these results, high producing strains were inserted into an oil inducible vector.
Halo assays confirmed lipase secretion, while measuring the fatty acid composition confirmed
triacylglycerol breakdown, and yeast uptake of the free fatty acids released.

Access

Unrestricted;

Degree

M.S.;

Degree Program

Biological Sciences;

Department

Dept. of Biological Sciences;

Major Professor

Clancy, Mary

Advisory Committee

Timpte, Candace; Burt-Utley, Kathleen

Date Degree Awarded

2007-08-08;

Format

PDF

URL

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Rights

The University of New Orleans and its agents retain the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible this dissertation or thesis in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. The author retains all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis or dissertation.